Ravens Free Agency: Winners And Losers So Far

It’s been a busy start to the offseason for the Baltimore Ravens, who dominated national headlines during the first week of free agency. The Ravens made a blockbuster trade for Maxx Crosby only to back out of the deal within days in unprecedented fashion. Hours later, they compensated by signing Trey Hendrickson to a big contract and making several other acquisitions. The Ravens also watched a large number of their own free agents walk away and sign with new teams.

The Ravens will likely still make more moves in the coming weeks, but let’s break down some winners and losers from the start of free agency.

Winner: Pass Rush

Improving their pass-rushing talent on the defensive line was arguably the Ravens’ most pressing need this offseason. Hendrickson was the top free agent edge rusher available and the Ravens signed him a four-year contract. It was preceded by the Crosby trade debacle, but nevertheless Hendrickson is a significant addition for the Ravens and will make a big impact. Over the past several years, Hendrickson ranks near the top of the league in sacks, pressures, quarterback hits and pressure rate. There is some concern given he’s coming off season-ending core injury that limited him to seven games in 2025 and will be 32 years old in December. He is also not as complete of a run defender and tackler as Crosby. Nevertheless, Hendrickson’s elite pass-rushing ability will be a huge lift for Jesse Minter’s defense and should have a rising tide effect on the rest of the unit. In particular, his addition could pay dividends for sophomore edge rusher Mike Green.

Loser: Interior Offensive Line

As many feared would happen, the Ravens were ultimately priced out of the Tyler Linderbaum sweepstakes, as the Las Vegas Raiders signed him to a record-setting contract. While the Ravens might be justified in not paying $27 million annually for their starting center, losing Linderbaum for nothing is undoubtedly a big blow. The task of replacing the perennial Pro Bowler of the last three years will be a tall one. The Ravens’ interior offensive line was already a pressing offseason need even if Linderbaum were retained, as the team was due for an upgrade at both guard spots. The Ravens signed veteran John Simpson to a three-year contract, who will likely step in as the new starting left guard and should hopefully provide more stability at that position. However, right guard remains a glaring hole and the center spot now is too. The only other addition the Ravens made is guard/center Jovaughn Gwyn from the Atlanta Falcons, but he’s a career backup and is likely no more than a depth addition. Barring another unforeseen big splash, the Ravens will need to use multiple early-round picks to bolster their interior offensive line now.

Winner: Defensive Backfield

The Ravens opted not to re-sign either of their free agent safeties, as both Ar’Darius Washington and Alohi Gilman departed for new teams. With this in mind, it may seem strange to deem the defensive backfield as a “winner” from free agency. However, the Ravens made two important moves to counter their subtractions: signing safety Jaylinn Hawkins and re-signing cornerback Chidobe Awuzie. Hawkins is coming off a strong season with the New England Patriots as their starting free safety. He’s versatile and has a well-rounded skill set, profiling as a potential upgrade over both Washington and Gilman in Jesse Minter’s defense next year. Bringing Awuzie back was another small move that should have a big impact. Awuzie was consistent for the Ravens last season and the team’s best coverage cornerback. He gives the Ravens a starting-caliber outside corner with veteran experience, alleviating the need to draft a cornerback with a high early-round pick.

Loser: Tight End Depth

Another position where the Ravens lost two free agents is tight end. Both Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar earned big paydays elsewhere and the Ravens could not compete with the price tag. This was not unsurprising, but it seemed possible that the team may at least be able to keep Kolar. Instead, they’ll now have to rebuild their tight end depth chart behind Mark Andrews, who is the last man standing. They moved quickly to replace Kolar with another blocking tight end, veteran Durham Smythe, who was signed to a one-year deal. Smythe is a fine cheaper alternative but offers less pass-catching upside and potential. At 30 years old, Smythe is also not a long-term pipeline player. Even though his 2025 season was underwhelming, Likely could have been the Ravens’ tight end of the future at 25 years old. He made a number of big catches for Lamar Jackson over the past few years and had good chemistry with the star quarterback. Now, the Ravens will probably need to hit on a draft pick to reboot their succession plan behind Andrews, who has shown signs of athletic decline in recent years.